Breaking the Ramadan Fast in Quarantine

For many Muslim families, Ramadan is one of the most social months of the year. In the United States, mosques host large meals, catered by local restaurants or prepared by members of the community. In homes, extended families come together — grandparents, grandchildren, aunts and cousins — and add all the extra leaves to expand…

New Workhorses for Your Spice Drawer

Now that you’re stuck indoors, have you reorganized your spice rack? (It’s a great project to tackle with kids: They can tell you which tin of paprika or curry has faded in color or aroma and needs replacing.) And while you’re at it, maybe it’s time for a real upgrade. Burlap & Barrel, a spice…

Sea Urchins Star in This Food Film

The story of the sea urchin, from ocean floor to the dinner plate, is the subject of this vibrant documentary that was released for streaming last week on Somm TV. With commentary from food celebrities like Andrew Zimmern and chefs like Kyle Connaughton, it follows the gourmand’s taste, from ancient times to the present, for…

Now From Mexico: Corn Whiskey

We appreciate tequila, have tried mezcal and are sampling sotol. Still there is more to learn about Mexican spirits. Corn whiskey, for example, is a rarity. But now there’s one that’s new. Abasolo, El Whisky de Mexico, from Jilotepec de Abasolo, just north of Mexico City, is made entirely from heritage corn that has undergone…

Chocolate and Cheese, if You Please

Closed stores and restaurants are also taking a toll on parts of the food industry, like cheesemakers, as they lose the normal outlets for their perishable products. Your local cheese shop should be your first stop, but, on Janet Fletcher’s Planet Cheese website, there’s a national list of the cheesemakers and retailers that ship their…

The Baked Pleasures of Australia Delivered

Bourke Street Bakery, the New York branch of a family-run group of bakeries in Sydney, Australia, is open for pickup, as well as delivery to all five boroughs, nearby suburbs, and, weekly, to the Hamptons. Along with its original sourdough breads and well-burnished croissants and pastries, the bakery has added a new line of individual…

Relive Memories of the Queens Night Market

The Queens Night Market is the subject of a new cookbook, “The World Eats Here.” Each of the 88 recipes, and the accompanying profiles, is crammed with compelling details. They tell stories of breakfast in Colombia through arepas with scrambled eggs; Guyanese pine tarts made with fresh, not canned fruit; kopytka potato gnocchi from Kika…